The Myth of Ivy
by xSimplyElementaryx
Summary: Oh, Apollo, dear ignorant Apollo, how many attempts have you had at love? To try and fail, and to try and fail, over and over again. It must be tiring. Maybe I, the god of ecstasy and wine, need to show you how love truly blooms.


A pale skinned youth sat secluded upon a smooth boulder surrounded by the beauty of nature. His fingers strummed the strings of his lyre, creating a melody that even the grass danced to. The wind picked up and tossed the curly, golden locks of the youth around his feminine face. But even as his sight was distorted from the hair in his face, his fingers continued on as if they were all too familiar with the stringed instrument. The song that played echoed between the valley walls and sounded all across the land. Amidst his playing, the young man swayed along with his music as if he were in a trance.

"Following the sweet melody, a lone sheep strayed over to young man. It cocked its head back and forth as if battering to the beat of the slow song.

"The young man stopped his playing and looked down at the animal. "What ails you, gentle creature?" he asked, expecting no verbal answer. The sheep could only blink and bleat at his question. "Have you come to listen to songs of the great God of the Sun?"

"The sheep stayed quiet.

"Apollo reached over and ran his fingers through the fleece of the mature sheep. "Such a fine coat. You must have an owner who takes very good care of you."

"That would be I." A stranger, clothed in tattered rags and dusted with dirt walked over to the disguised Apollo. He knelt down next to his sheep and the fair bard, eyeing the latter closely both with caution and in awe. He let his wavy, bark-colored hair fall around his face as he stroked the lamb. "You must have the musical skills of Apollo to be able to lure my sheep like that. They would never leave the herd under any other circumstances."

"Is that so? Are his music skills that wonderful?" Apollo asked with a small smile.

"You should never question the god, Apollo. He is the god of music, of course he is the very best."

Apollo stared back with adoration in his eyes. "What is your name, farm boy?"

"Hederus."

"Such a lovely name for a lovely being," he cooed.

"It is only fair that you give your name as well."

"Aa, of course, my name is Apollo, god of the sun, music, and healing." The god reached over to the young, sun kissed boy and touched a lock of his hair. He did not so much as hesitate to tell the mortal who he really was.

The farm boy's eyes widened in shock, but he dared not to back away, in fear of angering someone who dared call themselves a god. "Be serious now. If Apollo were to hear you, you would be struck with something much worse than a bad cough."

"I assure you that I am truly Apollo. Would any other man be able to lure such tamed animals from their master? I think not."

"I suppose not..."

"Now, tell me where you are from, Hederus," Apollo cooed and brushed his lips against the temple of his newfound love.

Hederus shuddered at the softness of his touch. "Well, I come from a farm near Thebes."

Despite having asked the question, Apollo ignored his answer. "You have left me awestruck, Hederus. I want you all to myself."

"Are you always so fast to fall in love?" Hederus paused in thought. "You really must be Apollo. Who else could fall so deeply in love so quickly."

"Quick and fleeting love is the best, no?" Apollo continued to paw at Hederus's thick mane.

"Astonishing."

"What about me is so astonishing?"

"That you have lived for so long, yet you have less common sense than a newborn."

For a moment, Apollo drew back in shock. Never had anyone dared talked to him with such a saucy tone before. It irked him that this boy would. He clenched his fist, about to throw pestilence upon Hederus and his whole family, but then a smile appeared on his own face. Apollo threw his head back in a melodic laugh. "I suppose my reputation in love proceeds me!"

Hederus gave a smiled himself. The joyful face of even a disguised god seemed to warm the earth, and reach his heart. "Indeed."

"Hederus, you will stay with me, will you not?"

"How could I run from a God? Even if I were to deny you, I would surely find myself as a lost soul in the underworld."

Apollo grasped Hederus by the head and pulled him in a close embrace. He rested his chin gingerly upon his newfound lover's head. A feeling of warmth and comfort overcame him. How he wanted to stay that way forever, basking in the love of his one and only. He planned to keep him for a long time. The gods approved of him, including Zeus, who was more than happy to let his son go with man. Being unable to reproduce, they could not sire a anyone, nevertheless a son who could usurp him.

Everyone was very fond of Hederus. He was an honest and rational soul, who paid homage to the gods with no complaints. He gave and never asked for anything in return.

"Oh, how lucky our Apollo is." Hermes gave a short sigh of envy. "Both women and men fall for him, and they are such good souls."

A young male god with a clean, round face stood next to Hermes and took a sip from his goblet filled with wine. Grape vines tangled themselves in his hair, and a leopard skin rested around his shoulders. As the god of wine and ecstasy, Dionysus hardly cared to involve himself in troublesome things. He never cared much for his mirrored reflection, Apollo, who always seemed to indulge in problematic situations, unintentionally of course. "Of course Hederus is great, but the poor soul is left in the care of Apollo. His life could only be better if a wolf got a hold of him."

"Ha, maybe it would be better if o mighty Dionysus would come to his aid. What a dramatic tale that would be. Aye?"

"What do you suggest, my friend?"/p

"Perhaps, things will be more exciting if a third would join the dance. A twist to an otherwise boring tale."

"As always, dear friend, you have the mind of the fiendish of creatures."

"Ha, you flatter me!" Hermes hugged his sides and began to giggle with glee.

How devious his joke was. Apollo always lost whomever he loved. Eventually he would lose this one as well. How funny it would be if the one he lost to was none other than his fellow god, Dionysus. None other than the man he detested as well. Apollo and Dionysus were two sides to the same coin, but both felt nothing less than distaste for the other.

For Apollo was the embodiment of the sun. He was the golden child with the curly locks of wheat, the skin as fair as snow. His irises sparkled like water. No man, mortal or divine, could compare to him. To his beauty. Apollo not only had his looks, but his music as well. The sound that came from his lungs was truly the sound of an angel, a heavenly being born from notes and hymns. No one else could ever compare or even come close to rivaling the Sun god, Apollo.

On the other hand, Dionysus, displayed a much darker side. He was responsible for the maddest of creatures, the maenads. Driven mad by the influence of their leader Dionysus, the women indulged the raw flesh of animals and wild dances of ecstasy. But he too was loved by the people what he gave them was the most precious gift. Like fire given by Prometheus, this gift was wine given by Dionysus. The people were able to enjoy life with a little more zeal and a lot more mindlessness.

Both of them wanted a little zest in life. They lived life, never looking back. Yet, they could never get along. For Apollo's desperation annoyed Dionysus, and Dionysus' lax way of lving was frowned upon by Apollo. It was fate that the two of them had disagreements, and it was fate for them to be together. For they loved the same things.

Only as a fan of Hermes' tricks of trade, did Dionysus agree to go along with the farce. Never did he dream that he too would fall so deeply and so heavily for the young farm boy.

Dionysus came to Hederus as the son of merchant, traveling through the city. He was dressed in fine linen cloth with a golden pin to hold it together on his shoulder. Even in disguise, Dionysus looked fair enough to be a pampered lord. His hair was cropped short and his eyes were lit up like bright green fireflies.

"You are so charming, Hederus." Dionysus raised his hand to stroke Hederus, gingerly on his cheek. "Are you a god of some sort? Or just blessed?"

Hederus moved his lips, but made no noise. It was as if he were in a trance, a trance of complete ecstasy. Every touch felt like he took a bigger drink from a stronger wine. He was losing his mind, but he was enjoying it with every tremor of his body.

Dionysus grasped the boy's chin and tilted it up. "Such a beautiful face...and lips." He brought Hederus to him and enveloped his lips with his own.

They shared a beautiful, passionate kiss, and that was it. Dionysus was hooked. He pulled away, and there was chill that ran up his spine. It made him go back for another taste. He soon became drunk with ecstasy.

Day after day, Dionysus would return, and he grew to love Hederus with everything in his heart and soul. Whatever it was, Dionysus would share it with his beloved, even his deepest secrets. As a god, his secrets were all he had. Hederus would also express his love by sharing the little things with his god. They had a simple but strong relationship.

Dionysus was more than happy. If he would die in the next moment, he would die the happiest man or god that ever walked the earth.

Though there was still something that irked him so. Apollo still believed that Hederus loved him. Many a day, he talked with his sister about how Hederus paid him no mind and acted distant from him. It was for good reason. Hederus had someone else, and Apollo did not understand. The more Apollo pried and prodded, the greater the chances that Hederus would meet a bitter end. But if Dionysus confronted Apollo with this matter, pure and innocent Hederus would be humiliated, called an adulterer. The other gods would surely scorn him. Dionysus sealed his lips for his beloved. All he could do was keep an eye on his lover.

It was alright, Dionysus. No man or god could keep everyone under their eye. The actions of others were solely up to them. No god could have everything they wanted. Surely love was one of the most difficult things to obtain and even more difficult to keep. No mortal could stay alive forever, particularly when a divine wanted them dead.

A bitter forest nymph caught wind of Apollo's affair. How could Apollo love someone so common and mortal? He was a god. He was meant to love someone that was at least a nymph. Apollo did not know the true power of the forest nymph. For the sake of love, this nymph would show him.

With her earthly powers, she dug a hole deep into the ground next to the area where Apollo loved to play. She wanted him to see when his lover fell to his doom. The hole was so deep that it reached the underworld. The crafty little nymph covered the hole with loose dirt and tall grass. The farmer would undoubtedly let his sheep graze there, and he would be nearby, watching over them.

Sure enough, not too long after the trap was set. Hederus came by with his sheep. He walked behind his heard, guiding them to the lush grass. His sheep began to graze and everything seemed normal. Then, one of his lambs began to cry out. Being the good shepherd that he was, Hederus went to the aid of his lamb. The moment he stepped on that patch, the ground fell from under his feet. He and his sheep fell, down, down, and down to the underworld.

With a lighthearted giggle, the nymph hopped over to the hole and covered it with the blackest of dirt. As she buried her misdeed, a crow screamed at her. She leapt back in surprise. It flapped its wings at her as if it was chasing her away. The nymph backed up, but came in contact with something solid. She turned, and it was her love, Apollo.

The nymph saw the troubled look on his face, but not the anger hiding behind his eyes. "Apollo, my dearest god, are you not well?"

"Run, run far away before I lose myself," he answered in a low timbre.

"I do not understand."

Apollo turned to her, fire raging in his eyes. "How dare you take away the man I love and then question what you have done?! Now flee before I send a plague to whatever forest you slithered from you wicked creature!"

Frightened, the little nymph ran away, tears flowing behind her like rain.

"Apollo's anger towards the forest nymph dissolved into sadness for his fallen love. "Why must things like this always happen to me? Father Zeus first takes away my ability to become a grown man, and now I cannot even have dear, sweet Hederus." Apollo sulked around the pasture where he first met Hederus. He sat down upon the very rock on which he met his love. "Ooo, how lonely."

Suddenly he felt something wrap around his hand. For a moment, he felt familiar hands, but when he looked down, he saw an odd plant wrapped around his wrist. The stem was flexible like twine and green leaves sprung up in arbitrary places along the rope.

"What is this?" Apollo asked. The plant tugged his hand as if it were trying to pull him down to the Underworld. "Hederus? Are you trying to take me with you? I will gladly go with you. To be with you, I will gladly go anywhere."

Before Apollo could let himself be dragged off into the ground, the plant was swiftly cut by an arrow. Only one other could shoot an arrow with that accuracy and that power. "Brother, you will not!" Artemis and emerged from the clouds and landed softly on the ground beside her foolish brother.

"How can you understand, sister? Have you ever been in love?"

"Listen here, you did this to yourself, but you will not offer yourself to Hades for some mortal scraps."

"But I love him."

"How many has it been, brother? How many times have you fallen in love?"

Apollo hung his head, but nodded in understanding. He had to live on for the sake of the world. He had to continue on to keep the order of things. No matter how much it hurt to go on. He followed his sister back to Mount Olympus, looking back at the meadow, over and over again. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe if he looked back enough, maybe if he projected his love more, Hederus would come back to him.

He never did.

But the vines continued to grow, up and up. They clung onto anything they could, trying to get up to Mount Olympus in order to reach Apollo. Or so he thought.

From the chatty women around Thebes, Dionysus heard about Hederus' death. When he heard that it was none other than Apollo who was with him when he died, Dionysus clenched his fists with furry. Everyone who Apollo came to love, suffered this same fate, even when they had someone else to love. And Apollo never, never learned to keep his emotions from taking the reigns. Soon after every affair, he would turn his back and forget. Hederus was just another lost love.

Dionysus shed tears for fallen Hederus. How he loved him so. More than Apollo ever did or could ever. All around the location of his death, Dionysus saw those sprigs of twine, wrapping themselves around everything in sight. He gently touched a smooth branch that grew on a lone tree and stroked it tenderly. It felt like the soft skin of Hederus. "Hederus..." Dionysus pleaded in a soft, desperate whisper, "please hold me one last time."

It was as if Hederus had heard him. The plant wrapped itself around Dionysus, embracing him tightly. It tangled itself in his hair and around his arms and legs, the places where Dionysus used to caress so fondly. They stopped and rested in those places, forever binding himself to his true love.

"Hederus..." Dionysus wept as he touched the weeds in his hair, "we will never be apart. That, I swear to you."

Still it was not enough. The twine continued to climb. It climbed to reach Dionysus. When the object they clung to could not reach the heavens, they moved on. They spread all over the land, desperately grasping onto everything. Dionysus saw the desperation, the passion, and in honor of his love, he named the plant after the boy he came to love the most.

The name was _Hedera_ or Ivy.


End file.
